Trying to get my act together again.

Riding with my homies.

Seemed Appropriate

On The Road Again

It is over. Almost 5 years ago I quit my job to stay home with Max. Maeve was born and we both wanted to switch roles, Lori home temporarily. So, fate is a funny thing, and shortly after starting my job search, the job I left called me asking if I might be interested in working again. After much discussion I agreed. I used to do this commute on series of KLR 650's, and much closer, 15 miles closer from Oakland. Now the commute is 80 miles a day, and there was no way in hell I was doing that in a car in Bay Area traffic. To treat myself to a resurgent industrial design career, I made the decision to go with a Triumph Tiger this time. Local results were horribly overpriced, so I found this beautiful, practically cherry 2014 model 6 hours south. Only 6500 miles, aftermarket windscreen, top box, and a few other goodies. I have never ridden a triple before. It is like a jet turbine engine. Fastest bike I have owned. It has a few design flaws (passenger pegs welded to frame, gearing is too close), but I love this bike. If commuting 80 miles in bumper bumper traffic and hour a day with almost nonstop splitting was possibly fun, this is as close as it gets.

Welcome Maeve Bisbee Blake Friend to the world!

Max was born on his due date, March 10, 2012. Our baby girl's due date was February 25, 2017. On February 24th Lori and I went to sleep, anxious, but her feeling nothing. At 3:45AM February 25th, she nudged me awake to tell me her water broke. Still no contractions. She took a shower and began feeling them, at 5-6 minutes apart. Lori was in no rush. Max's labor was 33 hours, and we were told cut that in half for number 2. But quickly they became more intense and frequent. At the urging of yours truly and her mother, we finally convinced her to leave for the hospital at 5:30AM, contractions at 2-3 minutes apart. The ride there was... intense but calm. I pulled up to John Muir and took her up to the rooms. Contractions even shorter. After 10 minutes I went down to park the car and bring the yoga ball up. I was gone, maybe 10 minutes. All hell had broken loose. The room was full of nurses informing us this baby was coming VERY soon. at 6:25AM little Maeve Bisbee Blake Friend was born. The sweetest girl on the entire planet.







photos by Carissa Valasquez

Hello little one

Garage Remodel

Because of my obsessive compulsive issues of having too much shit, I ran out of garage space and had to go vertical. With the help of my pops and my buddy Bryan I created a whole bunch of shelving and vertical platforms for the projects. Projects on top, complete bikes on bottom.

BEFORE










AFTER

Another one followed me home

I found this 1964 T100SC in Chicago. A kid was about to BOBBER it but, like most people, lost interest. And I'm thankful for that. 1 of 342. it somehow made it's way to Chicago from Oregon. It has a rich history of racing up and down the West Coast. And most amazing of all, I managed to convince my 70+ year old parents to drive from Ohio to Chicago to get it, and then drive clear out to California with it. It's obvious my parents are enablers. I plan to build it up as a sister bike to the '55 for riding dirt with. No frills dirt bike.

Hybrid

I saw this thing needing rescued down near San Louis Obispo, and you know how I am with strays needing a home. It was just weird. A unit motor modified (with questionable craftsmanship) into a rigid pre-unit frame. I've been told my some to just replace the seat tube and return it to a stock rigid frame and sell the motor for parts, but they can't see through the ugly and weirdness like I can. Depending on the direction I go with this, I may or may not change the uncompleted rake to stock. But it will definitely be going to a frame guy to straighten out as it will definitely still have a unit motor. And I don't make ugly bikes.











I think if I keep the rake it will have a drag bike vibe to it. 21" in front, short bars, big rear tire.


ouch

Another pea in the pod

Due date: February 25, 2017!

Ok Wanda, let's do this shit

The following pictures represent a few months of work on the 1959 Chevy Kingswood wagon.























Inland Empire Driveshaft and carrier bearing